Kenya to host 2029 World Athletics Championships in African first

What the report says

Kenya has been chosen to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, making it the first African country to stage the senior global event. According to BBC Sport Africa, Nairobi won the bid over London and Rome, while Munich was selected for the 2031 edition. The championships are scheduled for Kasarani Stadium, a 48,000-seat venue in the Kenyan capital.

BBC reported that Kenya’s athletics record helped strengthen its case. The country has produced major success in middle- and long-distance running and is among the most decorated nations in World Championships history. Olympic and world champion Eliud Kipchoge was among the figures supporting the bid. World Athletics president Sebastian Coe called Kenya’s presentation persuasive and said Africa deserved to host the championships once the right conditions were in place.

The decision is being described as historic for the continent, which has never previously hosted the senior World Championships despite its influence in the sport. Kenya also pointed to its experience staging international athletics events, including youth world championships in Nairobi and the 2007 World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa.

The BBC noted that Kenya had lost a previous bid for the 2025 event, partly because of concerns about infrastructure. This time, officials highlighted stadium upgrades and broader renovations underway in the country ahead of major sporting commitments, including co-hosting the next Africa Cup of Nations with Tanzania and Uganda.